How did you get into sport?
This is the “How did you get into sport?” podcast where we explore the ins and outs of working in high performance sport.
These are conversations with leaders in the industry about their journey and most importantly how they got to where they are. Working in professional sport is one of the most sought after yet highly competitive industries with limited professional organisations offering opportunities to work at the highest level of their respective sports.
This podcast was created on the back of countless conversations with a diverse range of experienced professionals overly frustrated yet still highly motivated to work in their dream role and asking the question “How did you get to work in professional sport and what did you have to do to get there?” Host Luis Resa is a Sports Physiotherapist who has worked in various elite professional organisation both in Australia and internationally.
In each episode, Luis has deep conversations with Sports Physiotherapist, S&C coaches, Head coaches, High Performance Managers and other leaders in the field of elite sport to discuss what it takes to excel in the world of sport as well as diving deeply into the intricacies of what got their foot in the door of some of the world’s most desirable roles.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. In the meantime, enjoy a deep conversation and learn the specific do’s and don’ts of both securing and surpassing expectations in the field of high performance sport.
How did you get into sport?
Dan Howells – The man sports practitioners seek to not just get their foot into the door of elite sport but thrive when in it.
Dan is a high performance coach and mentor who’s coaching career has spanned across the likes of US Ski & Snowboard team, English Institute of Sport, England Rugby, Wasps Rugby and as Head Strength & Conditioning Coordinator in Baseball for the Houston Astros. Dan has now swapped coaching athletes to coaching coaches and works with sports performance practitioners, including S&C coaches, physiotherapists and sports scientists not just to get into the world of elite sport but excel in their roles. If you have ever wanted to work in elite sport or are currently embedded within a high performance team, then this conversation is one not to miss as Dan shares what you need to know about navigating one of the most competitive, volatile and high demanding industry and still have a meaningful impact and most importantly be fulfilled with what you chose to do.
Highlights from the episode…
- Being disillusioned by not having a specific role after finishing his undergrad degree this led to Dan asking some deep questions about his future that he now asks practitioners to this day.
- How Dan joined the US national Ski and Snowboarding team having no prior experience in winter sports and how this became a pivotal component to his career development.
- When moving from one role into the next with a lack of direction this is the one advice Dan wished he received when he was navigating his own journey in elite sport.
- Is there a risk of being too pragmatic around your needs and wants at the result that you position yourself out of a role in an already competitive market?
- The “one-way and "two-way" doors and how this concept can streamline decision making when deliberating over the pros and cons of situation.
- When the opportunities aren’t coming, you’re struggling financially and you are still working at a level you feel you have out grown, when do you give up on the dream of working in sport?
- How he secured a role with the Houston Astros and some practical steps for any practitioners going through an interview process should know.
- The “Rapport Entry” technique and how this can assist when you’re unsure of an answer to a question you’ve been asked.
- The importance of developing soft skills (communication, teamwork, problem solving etc) in parallel with hard skills (professional expertise) can seperate you from the competition.
- “Career Periodisation” and how it can help practitioners when navigating through the stages of their career of “Thriving”, “Surviving” or “Redefining”.
- Dan shares his personal transition from the “surviving” stage (coaching athletes) into a “redefining” stage (coaching coaches) and the challenges and fulfilment that came with this transition.
People mentioned:
- Per Lundstam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/per-lundstam-29016322/
- Zach Weatherford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-weatherford-b67a009/
- George Petrakos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgepetrakos/
- Josh Fletcher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-fletcher-36151623/
Dan Howells contact details:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howellsdan/?originalSubdomain=uk
- Twitter: https://x.com/howellsdan?lang=en
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collaborate_sports/
- Collaborate Sports: www.collaboratesports.com/thegroupmentorships
Host: Luis Resa
Contact me on:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
- Email: luis.resa@outlook.com
Thanks for listening and please leave a review. If you would like more information on anything mentioned in this episode simply send me an email.
